I had an early meeting this morning with Mary Ann Pate – A Timely Solution.

Mary Ann is an organizing and productivity coach. She’s also a friend of my sister, Catherine. My brother, Craig, was also paired up, by coincidence, with Mary Ann at the recent CCAR golf tournament.

After both of my siblings bent her ear about my Internet marketing expertise, Mary Ann decided she better meet up with me before my little sister from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan tracked her down, too.

May Ann Pate and I talked for an hour and a half about her site and how to increase A Timely Solution’s web presence. I think we’ll be doing some business together – web site, marketing, and some cooperative business networking.

I was at Peet's Coffee in the Shops at Bishop Ranch for a cup of coffee yesterday. I hadn't been there in about six weeks. They've remodeled - added more serving area and reduced seating a bit to accommodate the expansion.

Then I read in the paper that Alfred Peet, the founder of Peet's died on Wednesday at his home in Ashland,OR. He was 87.

To honor his memory, I won't be griping about the lack of WiFi in Peet's for the next month or so, even though during the remodel, they didn't add it.

Here's to Alfred, the great coffee he roasted and brewed, and the niche industry he helped to launch in this country.